Flandria Vieux Bruges/Oud Brugge

The base of this blend is mostly burley, but there is definitely Virginia and some orientals in there. The colour is an almost even dark beige to light brown, with some tiny spots of very light or deep brown in between. The smell from the pot is quite overwhelming with a strong vanilla and caramel flavour. The cut is marked as "course" on the pot, but in reality the cut is rather fine, giving almost a visual impression like cigarette tobacco. It packs nicely into the pipe bowl and burns evenly. The room note is very pleasant and brings that savoury smell most people associate with pipe smoking. The taste in the mouth brings that vanilla and caramel flavour in a subtle way without ever becoming syrupy. The undertone is mildly acidic, allowing the tobacco flavours to be discovered.